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Yang, Kim, Yi, Ahn, Noh, Roh, Lee, Je, and Kim: Incomplete Anterior Interosseous Nerve Palsy That Accompanied a Monteggia Fracture
Case Report
Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association

Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association 2011; 46(1): 78-81.

Published online: 22 February 2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4055/jkoa.2011.46.1.78

Incomplete Anterior Interosseous Nerve Palsy That Accompanied a Monteggia Fracture

Bo-Kyu Yang, M.D., Seong-Wan Kim, M.D., Seung-Rim Yi, M.D., Young-Jun Ahn, M.D., Jung-Ho Noh, M.D., Young-Hak Roh, M.D., Seung-Won Lee, M.D., Min-Soo Je, M.D., Seok-Jin Kim, M.D.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, National Police Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Correspondence to: Seong-Wan Kim, M.D. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, National Police Hospital, 58, Garak-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-708, Korea. TEL: +82-2-3400-1333, FAX: +82-2-449-2120, swkim@nph.go.kr

Received 29 December 2009       Accepted 16 August 2010

Copyright © 2011 by The Korean Orthopaedic Association

(open-access):

"This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited."

Abstract

The anterior interosseous nerve innervates the flexor pollicis longus, the flexor digitorum profundus and the pronator quadratus. There are no sensory fibers from the anterior interosseous nerve leading to the skin. Paralysis of the anterior interosseous nerve that accompanies a Monteggia fracture has rarely been reported, and incomplete paralysis of the anterior interosseous nerve has almost not been reported. We experienced a patient with incomplete anterior interosseous nerve palsy involving the flexor pollicis longus as a complication of a Monteggia fracture. The paralysis of the flexor pollicis longus recovered 4 months after the surgery for the Monteggia fracture.

Keywords: anterior interosseous nerve, incomplete palsy, Monteggia fracture

Figures and Tables

Figure 1
Initial photogragh shows limitation of thumb interphalangeal flexion with intact distal interphalangeal joint flexion of index finger.
jkoa-46-78-g001
Figure 2
Preoperative simple radiographs of left forearm show anterior angulation of proximal ulna fracture and dislocation of radial head.
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Figure 3
Flexor pollicis longus integrity test suggested by Mody and Melton shows no evidence of the injury of flexor pollicis longus.
jkoa-46-78-g003
Figure 4
Postoperative simple radiographs of left forearm show internal fixation of proximal ulna shaft fracture with reduction of radial head.
jkoa-46-78-g004
Figure 5
Normal flexion of thumb interphalangeal joint is restored at postoperative 3 months.
jkoa-46-78-g005

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